Forged Sheep
by Quinn the archer
Summary: An alternate take of Coeur Al'Aran's Forged Destiny Book 2, Ch 12. better summary included


**So this is an alternate take of Book 2, ch 12 of Coeur Al'Aran's "Forged Destiny". I threw in elements from his other fic "White Sheep" both are good and deserve a read. Basically, Jaune invited his dad along on his quest and this happened**

The being before us, be it God, woman or some demon, came with its own insidious presence. It washed over me like a wave of cloying nausea, except that it had a weight to it, for it forced me down onto one knee. The others were no better, some flat on their stomachs, as though held down from above, others on their backs, struggling for breath. Something deep inside me begged me to run. Something else told me to cry and huddle in a ball. It was an alien sensation, and one I had to clench my teeth together to fight my way past. It was a close call, even then. It felt like I looked into the eyes of death itself

It looked back.

" **Well, well, this is an interesting display**." The woman, Salem, floated down to the floor, but didn't quite touch it. Although she moved as though walking, her feet did not make contact.

That didn't stop the ground becoming singed with each step she took. I glared up at her defiantly, but her blazing eyes were affixed to the altar. " **Despair, fear, anger and hopelessness…such a delightful arrangement**." One of her fingers brushed against the stone, coming away red with blood. " **You can almost sense the moment their rage gave way to horror, when defiance became acceptance – and the crushing agony that followed**." She recounted the nightmare the faunus had been through as though perusing a menu at some fine restaurant.

" **Oh, and what's this? Something else, something far richer… surprise, shock and betrayal. Hmm, I do so enjoy that**."

"Feast your eyes on a God," Merlot cried, in some crazed mix of reverence and excitement. "Those fools said it could not be done, that it should not be done, but it is I who shall show them true power!"

"D-Damn you…" Yang tried to stand up, but only managed to push her shoulders a few inches off the floor before she slammed back down once more. My eyes sought out Blake, the strongest of us, but the Assassin was in no better a situation. Flat on her stomach, with one hand stretched out to try and reach her dagger. Even if she reached it, I doubted she would have the strength to throw it.

" **It is a novel experience, being in the human lands once more**." Salem slowly looked about the abandoned temple. " **There are not many who would feel confident enough to summon one such as I. It takes a certain desire, a certain set of circumstances that can be… difficult to recreate**."

Damn her and damn Merlot. So many innocent people died for this. My hand shook as it wrapped about the hilt of Crocea Mors. The blade grated across the stone floor, and then clinked down before me as I tried to use it to leverage myself to my feet. It was to no avail. My muscles bulged and my skin turned red as I strained, but it was as though gravity itself had grown stronger.

"What…" Weiss struggled to breathe. "What are you?"

"What am I?" Salem chuckled at the question and looked towards the downed Mage. "I am the origin," she said. "I am the beginning and the end, I am eternal and ever-present. My

children roam this land, and did so long before your kind claimed dominion. In time, they shall claim it as their own once more."

"You're a Grimm," Weiss whispered. "There's no Class above your head. You're nothing more than a Grimm!" My eyes widened as I followed Weiss' eyes, to meet the empty space above the woman's head. I hadn't noticed it at first, too lost in what was taking place. She was right, though. There were no words, no Class and no name. This… this thing wasn't human.

" **No such petty laws bind me, child of magic. I would not allow them to. If you must have something to refer to me by, for what little time you have left, then let it by Salem, Queen of-** "

"do you always look like that?" my dad interjected

The demon looked to the blacksmith

" **what do you mean, human?** "

"do you always look like an attractive woman or is this just a costume you put on?"

* **chuckle* "this is my one form human, does it please you?"** she said derisively

"I'll say" dad said with a wink

"DAD! That isn't a person! She's some kind of . . . of Grimm!"

"Son, I thought I taught you not to judge people based on the title above their head?"

"She doesn't have a title above her head!"

"that's no excuse." He turned back to the demon "sorry about him, you try to be a good role model for your kids but they still run their mouths as soon as they get a little independence. You know how it is" he said with a wave of his hand

" **I do not.** " Salem responded

"oh come on, surely someone's scooped up a prize like you by now?"

" **Many have tried** " she was sounding less amused

"Is that a challenge?"

" **It's a promise. Your body would crumble and your mind would shatter from the effort** "

"that's what my last wife said" dad said with a half sad smile

The demoness grew a feral grin

" **alright smith, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself** "

"Excuse me!" Merlot shouted from the altar

" **oh right, excuse me one moment, work calls** "

Scene break

Merlot was prone form in the distance. It had been a tough fight none of us had been ready for, only surviving by luck. As the healer's sleep spell worked on me I could only wonder where that monster had taken my dad after turning a Merlot into a Grimm.

Scene break

We were given quarters to recover inside the Grand Academy, and Archmage Ironwood kept us there for several days. It only took a few hours for me to recover, my muscles and bones repaired from the insides by magic. Even now, my hand would occasionally hover over a part of my body, marveling at how new and light it felt. They'd kept me in bed for two days, however, during which I received regular visits from Ruby, Pyrrha and – less often – Blake. Ren shared the room, of course, the same ones we'd been given when we first arrived, but that felt so long ago. In truth, it was less than a week, but it felt like months.

My dad however. . .

I knocked on his door, hearing no response I opened it. . . to the sight of my dad banging the Queen of the Grimm

"Dad!" I shouted after turning around

Nicholas rolled off the demon and looked over to me

"sorry Son, I didn't hear you knock"

" **that was my fault dear, I cast a soundproofing spell on the walls after the neighbors complained** "

"you were disturbing their lunch" I deadpanned

My dad looked sheepish while Salem only chuckled

" **yes, so annoying, I wanted to turn them into frogs for intruding on our lovemaking, but Nicky-poo insisted otherwise** "

"that would have been rude dear"

" **yes yes, so you keep telling me** "

"Anyway! I just came to ask you if you'd be coming down to dinner or if you need it sent up"

Dad looked at the woman next him, his eyes glowed, indicating he was using his passive.

"I'm needed here son, tell them to send it up to us"

I nodded my head and quickly closed the door. Gods I hated his passive. "Satisfaction Guaranteed", the ability to intuit what people wanted from him. It made him a great blacksmith and, based on all my siblings, a great lover. When Mom died we had to beat off the housewives with a stick. Literally. We kept a club by the door.

I shuffled around a Labor caste carrying a box and made my way to dinner. On my way I saw Blake and thought of my dad's semblance

"lucky bastard"

Scene break

A saddler entered the bedroom and was immediately pinned to the wall by an invisible force

" **speak mortal for you intrude on the nookie of the Queen of the Grimm** " Salem said, eyes flashing

"I just brought*gasp*some things from the stables" the saddler barely got out

"easy love, I sent for these things" Nicholas said calmly, resting his hands on his lover's shoulders

The saddler collapsed to the ground and scampered out of the room. In the box were a saddle, a bridle and some reins

"I think you'll enjoy these" he said with a grin


End file.
